A-Rod's Performance

Initial Business Response /* (1000, 10, 2017/09/19) */
[redacted] received an auto servo ventilation machine, mask, tubing and supplies and an oxygen concentrator from Key Medical. Medicare requires us to collect 20% coinsurance on all items. During the first year [redacted] completed a...

financial hardship application which must be done with us annually. The hardship application was approved for one year. [redacted] called our office after the second year wondering why he still owed money since he had a hardship. He was informed he would need to renew the hardship application. He did and we approved it again, lowering his coinsurance from 20% of allowed charges to 20$ per month. He was informed he needed to make a payment in order to receive his CPAP supplies. He agreed and made a payment. He did not make any more payments and his balanced accrued to about $500. Later [redacted] called and was very rude to our billing staff and was upset about having to pay anything and claimed he was told we would just accept what Medicare paid. We informed he we cannot do that due to our and his contract with Medicare but that we could reduce his payments to $20 which we did. He offered to settle the debt with $250 which was denied. We offered to work out payment arrangements with him but he refused and said "Key will get a nickel on the dollar, he will not send monthly payments". After an appropriate amount of time of not making payments and several warnings and attempts to contact him, [redacted]'s account was sent to collections since he clearly told us he refused to make payments. We do not have any notes in our system showing he requested us to pick up the equipment but if he had requested it, it would not have been a problem, but he would have been told that he either needs a prescription from his doctor for discontinued use or he would need to sign an Against Medical Advise form since it is considered life saving equipment. If he spoke to someone in our office about that and was told that, unfortunately it was not documented but that could be why he perceived we did not want to pick it up. I feel we tried to be fair with [redacted] and did in fact discount his portion of the payments substantially. Unfortunately, he was not kind to our office which made it more difficult to work with him. It is important to realize that Medicare does require us to collect from patients. We jeopardize losing our contract with them and the patient risks losing their coverage. We were very willing to work out any type of payment arrangements with him but he was mad and spiteful instead of trying to work with us. We can't remove every account from collections because they get mad and complain about us. We need to be paid for the equipment we provide and as previously stated, are under obligation to do so.
Initial Consumer Rebuttal /* (3000, 12, 2017/09/19) */
(The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.)
Most of what they said is just not true. The first year I had a hardship is when they said not to worry about paying anything. The second year the same. It was not until august of 2016 just 4 months prior to the full 3 years was up for Medicare payments that they contacted me and the reason I was upset was they told me then was I was supposed to be paying 20.00 for the last 2 a half years and I told them that is not what y'all told me originally. Furthermore why would you let someone get behind in there payments for over 2 and half years and not try and collect because they knew I couldn't afford to pay them and they were satisfied taking Medicare payments that is why they would not pickup the equipment the first year when I told them I couldn't afford those payments and they could come and pick up equipment then but they refused to come get it because they wanted Medicare to pay them for the full 3 years and that is why they waited so long to tell me I owed them 500.00. And they know I told them when they told me I was going to owe all the back payments that I could not afford and I told them plainly I was not using the equipment they could come and pick it up because I was not using it and I couldn't afford to pay them 20.00 per month. I WILL NOT PAY FOR SOMETHING THAT I NEVER AGREED TO PAY FOR! This company refused to pickup the equipment the first year when I told them I could not afford any monthly payments for 3 years. I told them then and I told them the last time we spoke to come get the equipment. The bottom line is Key Medical wanted to collect on Medicare for the full 3 years and then try to bill me for 3 years worth of payments. I am disabled and on social security. I dispute this bill and refuse to pay it for all the reasons I listed above.